The Pros and Cons of Being Human
by samantha-darling
Summary: Videl wrestles with her limitations, in comparison to Gohan.


"Come on Gohan! I know you can do better!" Another punch hit its target, another kick landed against his muscular leg. The sweat began to run in rivulets down her forehead and cheeks, stinging her eyes as she whipped around for a powerful roundhouse. Videl bared her teeth in a snarl as Gohan blocked her leg, then zoomed off backwards in defense. She didn't give him a chance to try and talk his way out of their match. Lunging forward, she caught him in the stomach with her knee. He barely even moved.

"Videl-!" Gohan grunted, pushing her away and flying off towards the north.

"You are not running away from me!" She cried out. Much to her dismay, tears began to sting her eyes as she took off at full speed after him.

It had been her idea to take off and do some play matches, to try and keep her skills sharp and herself motivated. She wouldn't readily admit it, but now that the world was safe and people began to readjust to normal life, her brutal defeat at the hands of Spopovich left her confidence and her pride lacking. Videl had never been put down so soundly. If it hadn't been for that strange bean Gohan had given her, her fighting career would probably have been over. The thought made her shudder and it fanned the flames to regain some semblance of her self-esteem.

For awhile she watched as Gohan and Goten warmed up and then began to spar against each other. Their movements, the sound of their fists meeting, made her restless, and a bit nervous. It only made her angry that she felt shaken and she had launched into stretches and exercises furiously. Finally, the two boys returned. Goten rushed for the packed lunch they had brought. Videl set her eyes on Gohan.

"Um...are you sure you want to do this?" He asked sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. Videl glared at him.

"I'd feel a little silly battling it out with Goten. Don't hold back." She growled, getting down into her beginning stance.

Now, she was chasing him and barely even succeeding in that. He sped ahead of her, every so often looking back to perform some sort of aerial move in hopes of shaking her off his tail. Videl growled low in her throat as she saw him begin to make a right turn. Stopping dead in her tracks, she waited for him to make his move. Her eyes narrowed as they followed his graceful movements. Gohan twirled around and stopped a few yards from her.

"Videl, this has gone far enough." He shouted out to her. His tone was calm. He was all but begging her to turn away, to back down. Thoughts raced through her head as she glowered at him beneath the black fringes of her hair. "What are you trying to prove?" Gohan continued.

In all honesty, Videl wasn't sure. The question made her pause, momentarily dropping her guard. Up until Gohan, she had been the strongest in Satan City. Criminals cowered at the sight of her. She was a hero. But once she had seen the Gold Fighter, once she had witnessed the strength and speed of Saiyaman, well, she simply wasn't good enough. The beating at the Tenkaichi Budokai only reinforced that fact. People whispered as she passed, some a bit more nasty than others. Videl sneered despite herself.

"Just fight me! I won't be satisfied until you just fight me! You coward, you bastard, I hate you!" She shouted, taking off as fast as she could propel herself. Her bright blue eyes focused in on his face, her fist ready for the punch.

It never hit. A sharp prick exploded in her neck, like a bee sting, and wide-eyed she felt herself falling helplessly. Down and down she tumbled through the air until her back hit something wet and cold and Videl found herself submerged in the lake.

* * *

It was habit by now. So routine were Videl's visits out to the Son Residence that Chichi had just begun putting out dinnerware for four and leaving the extra chair in its usual spot at the end of the table. Her cooking plans always included another mouth, and she had even memorized what the young girl did and did not like. Thankfully, perhaps due to her active constitution, she was as picky about what she ate as her sons, who quite often didn't even know what they had eaten until they asked later.

So it was very odd when Gohan came back for dinner alone.

Chichi didn't say much about it at the time. Gohan had seemed distracted and had been a bit quieter than usual, and with Goten pleading at her skirts for dinner, she had simply put away the extra plate and chopsticks. The two ate plenty, Goten even asking for the leftovers that would have been Videl's. Chichi gave the plate to him, glancing at Gohan as he excused himself from the table.

"Where is Videl today?" She asked nonchalantly as she got up, rolling back her sleeves in preparation to start dishes. Gohan, standing at the sink rinsing a couple plates, shrugged noncommittally.

"She just didn't feel like coming out today, I suppose." He replied distantly.

"Oh?" Chichi frowned. "Did you two...have an argument?" She searched hesitantly whilst tying on her apron. Gohan didn't respond right away. He, too, frowned a bit and then shook his head, setting aside his dishes.

"No. No, it wasn't like that exactly."

"Gohan beat Videl up, that's all." Goten piped up from the table. Chichi whirled around.

"What? What is he talking about?" She asked incredulously, putting her hands on her hips and looking back and forth from Goten to Gohan. Gohan shook his head exasperatedly.

"I didn't beat her up."

"Yes you did. Gohan and Videl were sparring and he hit her and she fell into the lake and then she left." Goten continued, oblivious to the dark look crossing his older brother's face. Chichi couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"It was an accident!" Gohan argued. He splayed his palms open in defense. "I didn't mean to knock her into the lake, but-"

"Gohan, you have to remember she's not like the others. You can't be rough with her, she's only human." Chichi admonished gently. He looked down sulkily at his feet, fists at his side.

"I know. But she kept yelling at me. She knows I'm holding back and...well, it hurts her pride." He admitted quietly. Chichi stood for a long moment. She regarded her eldest son quietly, then sat down at the table.

"Goten, why don't you go start a bath?" She suggested. Goten nodded and blasted off, none the wiser to the situation. For a minute or so, the two sat in silence. Gohan sat himself across from his mother. He slapped his palms over his face, dragging them down and pulling at his skin.

"I don't know what to do Mom." He finally surrendered. Chichi smiled and reached across for his hand.

"When I married your father, we were young. We would spar and train together and it didn't matter to me that maybe he was a bit stronger than I was. I had bigger plans than being a career fighter. But," She paused to take a deep breath, "later on, as he began to get stronger and I started becoming weaker, I admit I got a bit surly. It wasn't Goku's fault. But my insecurities made me frustrated. I picked fights with him to try and convince myself I wasn't incapable." Gohan listened attentively, his wide eyes making him seem almost like that same little boy she had carried around once. Bitterly she remembered when those men had come and taken him away as she had been felled with one blow.

"But you aren't incapable. I've seen you still practice your stances." He remarked. Chichi shook her head.

"Not seriously. Not seriously enough anyway. One day, I pushed him too far. He nearly broke my arm. It was my fault entirely, but your father felt so guilty. It was then I realized I was being foolish. Then I had you and I discovered there are more ways to be strong than just being able to fly, or beat your opponent. More often than not, the most impressive human strength is that of the heart.

Videl hasn't realized that yet. She's a strong girl, Gohan, and used to being THE strong girl. She has to learn that it's not a matter of competition, but of compromise. The best thing you can do is to not patronize her, but not lead her on either. She's smart, she knows she can't beat you. But treating her like a child won't do the trick." Gohan contemplated her words for a minute or so. She gave his hand a squeeze and stood up, stretching, and then padding to the sink. The sound of water running filled the room. "Gohan, do you want to grab the dish soap for me?" Chichi piled plate after plate into the sink. When he didn't respond, she turned to ask again, only to find the table and chair empty. From the corner of her eye, she saw something dark zoom past the window, up into the summer afternoon sky. She smiled again and reached for the soap on the opposite counter.

* * *

It had been a couple of days since Videl had jetted off from the lake, soaked and shamed. She hadn't spoken with anyone, not even her father, who had noticed his daughter's foul mood. Mr. Satan loved his daughter dearly, and as much as it pained him to not know what upset her so badly, he was afraid to ask. He made a comment about her behavior when she came into the mansion dripping wet and she had damn near threw him out their picture window.

Videl remembered the incident with a snort as she snuggled deeper into the cushion of her window seat. The view of the cityscape usually comforted her. Today it was nothing but a reminder of her faults. How could she be counted on to protect the citizens and general public at large when she couldn't even take care of herself? A bullet could kill her. She could be stabbed. Those things didn't even phase Saiyaman. And everyone knew it.

She shook her head roughly and left the window. Sitting and sulking wasn't like her. After all, she was Videl Satan, known for her roguish determination and vivacious spirit. If something wasn't to her liking, she changed it. Videl set her jaw. If she couldn't prove against Gohan, she could at least go and find someone else roaming the streets that would do the trick. She donned the usual pair of bicycle shorts and loose fitting t-shirt, then proceeded to jump off her balcony, leaving nothing but the flowing curtains in the breeze.

It wasn't long before she found herself downtown. The streets were flooded with cars, the sidewalks practically overflowing with people. For a minute, Videl wondered if she shouldn't have brought along a cap and some sunglasses. People had noticed her and some had no qualms about staring at her as if she had grown horns. Thin beads of sweat coated her brow. Her stomach began to churn. She had never felt so nervous in her life.

"Hey, its Videl!" A shout rose above the crowd. A couple more people turned to watch her. She began to feel like some sort of wild animal. Clenching her jaw, the black haired girl began to walk forward, plastering a scowl across her features.

"Hey, Videl, are you okay?" A younger woman tried to keep up with her pace, a pretty girl with glossy brown hair.

"Fine." Videl hissed. The girl didn't seem deterred.

"I was there at the tournament. I thought you were going to die the way you got whaled on! You look okay now though. What about your career?" Videl stopped and gave her a death glare. It fell on deaf ears. The brunette sat there blinking wide and cow-eyed at her. A gaggle of insults ran through her head, slurs and curse words she had picked up, but in the end all she could do was give an angry growl and run down a side alley. "Hey! Wait!" The girl cried after her, but Videl was moving too swiftly. Without another thought, she launched herself into the air, going higher and higher until she had soared over a few skyscrapers. A lump began to rise in her throat as she gently touched down on the eastern side of town, next to a rundown but open convenience store.

There was a few roving people, but on this side of town, nobody really paid attention to one another. There were trash cans and empty boxes aplenty and Videl sat down on some molding milk crates behind a dumpster, curling up into a trembling ball. Did she always think she'd be a warrior? Did she think she was always going to be able to live by cleaning up filth after school? She had been so busy being at the police's beck and call that she had let her grades slip. Now, with graduation coming soon, she'd be lucky to pass, let alone get into any sort of college. What would become of her now that she was washed up, a has-been, a weakling? Tears began to fall, unbidden. She had never felt so alone.

All of a sudden, a splitting gun shot pierced her reverie. Sniffing, Videl craned her head over her shoulder. A man wearing a ski mask was prancing around inside the little convenience store, waving his gun wildly, as a couple of his buddies began to raid and trash the shelves. A lone cop car had pulled up, amazing in this area, and two cops had taken position behind its mass. A spark of hope grew in her stomach. Here was her chance! She'd taken on armed thugs so many times before.

Videl wasted no time in launching off the milk crates. She ran first to the police. The two men seemed surprised to see her.

"Videl? We didn't call you!" One of them whispered, almost angrily. Videl shot him a look.

"No one called me. I was...around." She mumbled. The second officer gave a weird glance in her direction.

"Listen, Videl, we got this." He stuttered. Videl stared at him for a moment.

"I can help. I've done this before." She argued. The first shook his head.

"So have we. Just stay here, where its safe." They began to edge around the car, but Videl was seeing red. She marched out from the car and pointed a finger squarely at the ring leader, his face pressed against the glass door.

"Hey! You! Get out here and turn yourself in, you filthy piece of trash!" She screamed defiantly. A smirk crossed her lips. The robber turned and hid behind the counter, leaving the shop owner to flee through the door. He barely glanced at Videl, grinning and bowing towards something behind her. She turned just in time to see a familiar shadow advance towards her.

"Saiyaman! My store! Please, save my store!" The little man groveled as one of the officers pulled him behind the squad car. Saiyaman nodded as he touched down, giving a little salute which made Videl's blood boil.

"I got this, Saiyaman." She ground out between clenched teeth. She couldn't see the majority of his face behind the large visor, but she guessed Gohan was sweating bullets because he barely stifled a nervous little laugh.

"Um..Ms. Videl, I think I can be of assistance in this matter." Gohan intoned. The officers chimed in.

"Let him handle this, Videl. No one wants to see you get hurt." And with that, she knew she had been replaced. All of her work, all of her training had been completely for nothing now. She was just some reckless girl who was one step away from becoming a vigilante. She couldn't bring herself to say anything, especially not to Gohan. Her friend, probably the best friend she ever had, the only man who had ever caught her eye, the only man she had ever wanted to impress, had ruined her. She took off for home. If she had her way, she'd never step out of her bedroom again.

She had gotten about halfway before something dark came up beside her. Gohan, sans helmet and cape, easily met her pace.

"Get away from me." She said simply. Her tone was cool and quiet.

"Videl, we need to talk."

"You're the last person I want to talk to!" She screamed suddenly, pulling up and throwing a punch. It hit him square across the jaw. Before he knew what hit him, she reared back and kicked him hard in the abdomen, spinning around and hitting the same spot. Her next punch he caught easily, but there was the faintest trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth. Videl felt a small pang of satisfaction.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have treated you like that." He said simply. His dark eyes bore into her. His first tightened around her own. "I don't want to hurt you, in any way."

"I know you're stronger than I am. I know I don't hold a candle next to you. But..." Her voice became a whisper. Her breathing had become constricted with her conflicting emotions.

"Don't ever think that makes you less of who you are, Videl." Gohan smiled and pulled her into a tight embrace. Normally, she would have flinched away from it. After all, this was Gohan. But, today, Videl sank into his arms, letting her head rest against his shoulders. The lump in her throat had begun to dissolve. "Besides, I can't see Satan City being the same without you." He reached up and placed something inside of her palm. Videl pulled away and opened her hand. Inside there was a small, silver ring with a beautiful blue stone placed inside a ring of pearls.

"Gohan, what is this?" She asked with a shaking voice. He was giving her a ring? What did he mean by that? A raging blush scorched her cheeks as she looked up into his face. With a wide grin, Gohan grabbed the ring and placed it on her hand.

"Sometimes its not about competition, its about compromise." He said enigmatically. Videl frowned and ran her finger over the gemstone. All of a sudden, one of the pearls moved inwards with a small click, and her vision went dark.

"Wah!" She cried out as she lost her concentration and fell a bit in altitude. Luckily, Gohan had steadied her, his hands grasping her shoulders.

"Do you like it?" He asked proudly. "I had Bulma make it! It's just like mine, only with some personal touches." Videl looked down at herself. She was in an awfully familiar uniform, only instead of Gohan's vibrant green, this was a soft teal blue. Her hands fiddled with her helmet, taking it off and inspecting it.

"Oh my gosh Gohan. This is...amazing." She had to admit it. Gohan, trying not to look too smug, shrugged mischievously.

"I take it you accept the job?" Videl looked up at him in confusion.

"What job?"

"The job of Great Saiyagirl!" Videl frowned.

"Saiyagirl? You get to be Saiyaman, and I get to be Saiyagirl?" She asked irritably. Gohan, realizing his mistake, scratched the back of his head anxiously.

"Well, uh, no, that's not completely...true. But Saiyagirl sounds a bit better than Saiyawoman, doesn't it?" He offered. Videl pondered it for a moment, then plopped the helmet back on her head.

"I'd rather just stick with Saiyaman Number Two. If you don't mind that is, Saiyaman Number One?" She sidled up beside him, slowly reaching up to kiss him gently on his cheek. When she pulled away, she was satisfied to see him completely red in the face. Giving a giggle, she zoomed off down towards the city. "Come on! There's work to be done!"

Gohan stood shocked for a few more seconds. She had kissed him! On the cheek, but nonetheless, she had kissed him! Butterflies began to skip around inside of his stomach, his heart lifting out of its bone cage from beneath his pounding lungs. He could have sworn he heard birds singing. Unable to wipe the goofy grin off of his face, he soared after her, silently thanking his mother for her sound advice.

* * *

Thank you for all those who had reviewed my other Gohan/Videl story. Here's one a bit longer, but not as steamy. Enjoy!


End file.
